Popsicles and Princes
by Lady Nosila
Summary: Ten year old Lucy runs away while with her father in Magnolia on business and discovers what family truly means. (Possibly a first-love story if one looks hard enough.)


_Thank you to all who read it and double thanks to those who review as well. Oh, and Lucy is ten years old in this story. Laxus on the other hand is at those awkward teenage years where he is trying to be cool. It is also before his father was expelled from Fairy Tail._

* * *

><p>Popsicles and Princes<p>

The day was bright and the streets where busy. People moved about in all directions, their voices carrying over the cobblestones in distorted chatter. Magnolia could be large and frightening for a young child, yet Lucy saw only the opportunity that she had been waiting for.

Sneaking a final glance at her guards, she held her breath and ducked behind a large woman. Lucy used the woman to shield her from view until she could dash into the shadow of an elderly gentleman. She heard the startled cry of Pete and Ben when they noticed her not walking between them. They were fretting about how they had only looked away for a moment. She could hear them calling her name frantically, but the beating of her heart made ignoring them easy as she weaved through the people, unnoticed by all. Sometimes it came in handy being small for her age.

Lucy hurried down street after street until she was sure she would not be found and returned to her father. After all, how could anyone find her is such a large town when not even she knew where she was? Panting from her escape, the girl allowed herself to rest. He shoulders slumped in an unladylike manner that all of her instructors would frown at.

Once her breathing had slowed to normal, Lucy began to wander once more, but slowly so she took take in her new home. Glancing around, she decided that living in Magnolia would be nicer than she thought. The streets were clean, the shops pleasant, and most of the people had friendly smiles on their faces. She had all the money she had saved from her allowance, which was quite a hefty sum. Surviving on her own suddenly felt like a less frightening prospect then when she had begun planning her escape the night before.

First of all, she would need a place to stay. Lucy figured finding an inn would not be too difficult. She could always ask for directions if she needed to. The girl wanted to explore though, so she continued her trek, turning her head this way and that in wonder. She rarely left home, and even then it was only to accompany her father when he went to visit some other estate for business. Lucy had never walked the busy streets of an actual town before. It was that excuse which enabled her to convince her father to allow her out of the hotel they were staying at…with an escort of course.

A part of her felt guilty about tricking Pete and Ben, but her wonder, excitement, and relief drowned it out. As the day continued on though, Lucy began to feel hungry. Touching her small hand to her tummy, the young blonde glanced up and down the street she was on. She had not eaten since breakfast many hours before, and wondered which shop would be best.

Wandering further along, Lucy paused at the sight of a man selling ice cream from a cart in the shade of a wooded park. There were children and a few adults standing around him, ordering delectable sweets or eating them.

The sudden realization that she could order one and eat it without anyone telling her 'no' hit her suddenly. She no longer had to worry about adults telling her what a proper meal was supposed to be anymore. She could have ice cream for breakfast, lunch and dinner if she so desired. She could wear what she wanted when she wanted, once she purchased her own clothes at least. She no longer had a bed time or dance lessons, or music lessons…or any lessons at all!

Grinning at the idea of so much freedom, Lucy dashed over to the vendor. He smiled back at her, his eyes wrinkling in a way that reminded her of her father, back when he still smiled.

"Well hello there. What a lovely dress." He commented kindly and she glanced down. Personally she thought it was one of her plainer dresses, but apparently it was not enough to blend in with normal people.

"Thank you."

"You're welcome. Now, how may I help you?" He inquired.

She paused before asking, "Do you have any strawberry flavors?"

"Yes I do. I have strawberry popsicles." He said pointing to a sign hanging from his cart with pictures of his various items. Sure enough, between the chocolate and nut covered cone and the sugar cookie ice cream sandwich was a picture of the shiny red frozen treat.

"I would like the strawberry popsicle then please."

"Coming right up." He fished it out of the icebox and handed it to her. "Here you go, sweetie."

When she paid him, he looked at the bill in his hand with surprise before digging around for her change. With her wallet safely tucked away in her pocket again, Lucy thanked him one last time before turning away. She pulled at the packaging with interest until it was open and she could pull her treat out by its stick. Tentatively she poked her tongue out to taste it and hummed with appreciation at the cool sweetness. The day was not overly warm, but the popsicle was still refreshing. And it was strawberry. She loved strawberry.

Her eyes fluttered closed as she walked with a slight bounce to her step. Lucy was so engrossed in eating that by the time she realized that someone was in front of her, her face and her popsicle, had already collided with his chest. She watching in seemingly slow motion as the red treat fell from the stick and splattered at their feet. She gasped in dismay before an angry voice reminded her that she had walked into someone.

"Watch where you're going." He growled out. Lucy looked up to see cold blue eyes filled with annoyance. He was a teenager, almost an adult but not quite; she could not guess his age beyond that. Headphones to a SoundPod rested over his ears, failing to flatten his bright spiky blonde hair. The gravity-defying locks looked to be a similar shade to her own, while her eyes were a soft chocolate brown compared to his blue ones that froze her blood when he glared.

"I-I'm s-sorry." She finally managed to squeak out before her gaze lowered to the sticky, reddish smudge on his yellow and grey sweatshirt. She gasped, realizing she'd dirtied his shirt because of her carelessness.

Seeing how scared she was, the boy paused, his gaze softening slightly. He looked down at his shirt then to where her popsicle rested around their feet. She looked down as well, feeling tears prickling at the corners of her eyes. He noticed the salt and water in the air immediately.

"Are you crying?" He sounded skeptical, which Lucy thought was silly of him. He was big and scary and she had just lost her food that she'd paid good money for. She was allowed to cry. The boy didn't seem to agree though as he then said, "There is no point in crying, kid; it was an accident. Just be more careful next time."

Lucy sniffled and looked up at him. Their eyes met and the boy looked startled for an instant, then uncomfortable. His focus slid away from her as he shifted his weight. "Look kid, I'll get you a new one."

The girl opened her mouth to tell him he did not need to, but he'd already noticed the vendor she had bought her popsicle from.

She was reluctant to follow him, but his offer to replace her popsicle was too tempting. As she approached the man from before, pausing to throw out the popsicle stick in a nearby trash bin, Lucy was careful to keep a slight distance between her and the boy. The man's smile widened when he noticed her.

"Back already, huh?"

"There was a slight accident." The boy replied for her. The vendor looked up only to openly gawk at the younger male as if he'd never seen a teenage boy before.

"Y-you're…Laxus…Fairy Tail…" He looked absolutely star-struck, which confused Lucy. Was the boy some sort of celebrity? The boy himself didn't pay any attention to the man's reaction, instead focusing on Lucy.

"What did you have?"

"Um…a-a strawberry popsicle."

Turning back to the vendor, he said, "You heard her." He paused in thought before adding, "Make that two of them."

The boy received a couple of napkins to wipe down his shirt the best he could, but a pink stain remained on his chest. Lucy frowned, not liking the prickling of guilt. Her father had always pressed the importance of appearance, so the obvious imperfection that she'd caused bothered her.

"I'm sorry." She repeated. The boy looked at her but said nothing as he accepted the popsicles, opened one and handed it to her. He paid the vendor before strolling over to a bench nearby. It was in the shade at the edge of the park. Lucy was unsure whether he expected her to follow of not, but did so anyway.

"So…" The boy began, looking around them as if he was searching for something. "Where are your parents? A kid like you should not be out on your own."

Lucy suddenly understood what he was looking for then. If he found out who she was - that she'd run away from home - would he tell on her?

"Um…" Trying to think fast, Lucy bit her lip and felt her face heat up with embarrassment for not coming up with an excuse quick enough when he settled his studying gaze on her. "Um…" He let out a snort of mirth, making her jump slightly as he chuckled at her flustered expression.

"Alright, let's start with something simpler. My name is Laxus. What is yours?"

"L-Lucy."

He nodded, chomping off the top part of his popsicle; Lucy quickly licked her own where it was starting to melt. Swallowing, the boy – Laxus – eyed her thoughtfully before asking, "So, where are you from, Lucy? This your first time in Magnolia?"

Lucy gawked at him, wondering how he knew. Before she could voice her question, Laxus stated matter-of-factly, "Anyone who doesn't start gushing about Fairy Tail at the mention of my name is not from here. And considering how you still look confused, I'm betting you don't even know much about mages and guilds."

Despite the truth in everything the teen was saying, Lucy felt as if he was making fun of her. Not knowing what else to say, she snapped out, "My Mama was a Celestial Wizard! And I'm studying to become one too!"

He looked amused. "Really?"

"Y-yeah! I-I mean…I haven't been able to summon anyone yet…but… well look. I've already got Celestial Gate _keys_. Three of them are golden keys too!" She proudly pulled the ring from her pocket to show him. Gold and silver sparkled in the sunlight. "_See_!"

The keys had belonged to her mother and like her mother before her, Lucy cherished them. She'd made sure she brought them with her during her escape since some day she planned to master them, though it would probably be much more difficult without her teachers. Now that Lucy thought about it, she supposed she would miss her magic lessons.

The girl glanced from under her lashes at the boy relaxing on the bench beside her. She expected him to be at least a little surprised, but to Lucy's annoyance he did not look impressed in the slightest. Scowling somewhat, Lucy carefully slid her precious keys back into her pocket before turning her attention back to her popsicle, deciding the boy simply didn't understand.

"Okay…" He finally said, "…so you're a tiny wizard in training." Lucy 'humphed' at his words but otherwise did not react. "But that still doesn't answer why you're here alone."

Lucy stiffened, trying to focus all of her attention on what remained of her popsicle, turning her small body away from him in an attempt to signal she had nothing more to say to him. A small voice in her head screamed that she was being terribly rude, but he wasn't exactly being Mr. Perfect Manners either.

"You're lost, aren't you?" He leaned over to look at her face, but she pointedly turned away from him once more, determined to ignore him and his questions. "Hey…kid." She kept her lips glued shut. "Lucy." The sound of him calling her name teasingly made her screw her eyes shut. Her father would be so ashamed of her behavior. To Lucy's relief, the teen let out a sigh of resignation and moved away, signaling (she hoped) that he was giving up.

The girl glanced at him from the corner of her eye, taking in how he was stretched out, his legs crossed before him, his arms folded across his chest, and his bare popsicle stick clenched between his teeth. It almost looked like he was sulking.

"Look," He suddenly said and she quickly looked away again, "If you don't want me to help you, I can always fetch someone else. Perhaps a-

"NO!" Lucy spun around before she realized what she was doing. She only knew that she did not want him telling any adults or she would be taken back to her father. Realizing her mistake, she quickly added, "I-I mean…I-I'm not lost…"

"I see…you ran away from home then." Laxus said confidently. She turned to gape at him, and he sniggered at her expression. "Don't give me that look. No self-respecting parent would let their kid out in a strange city alone. Either you're lost or ran off on purpose."

Lucy could not think of anything to say and felt her face flush with embarrassment again. "Stop calling me a kid!"

He smirked. "Why? You are one."

"So are _you_!" She snapped back and was happy to see his arrogance drain into a frown.

"I'm sixteen." The boy glared at her for a moment before adding with a dismissive snort, "And your popsicle is melting." As he settled back into his reclining position on the bench Lucy hurriedly licked the strawberry juice from dripping onto her fingers.

They settled into a silence, watching families and couples walk by, sometimes pausing at the ice cream vendor's cart to buy something. The girl felt a sudden stab of loneliness, but knew going home would probably only make it worse. A part of her was happy for the interrogation to be over, while another part wished her companion would speak again, simply because she hated to be ignored. She glanced over at him once more. He was staring are his worn shoes, his eyes narrowed as his head nodded to some unknown song playing on his SoundPod. Sighing, Lucy let her gaze wander in front of her once more as she sucked the last of her popsicle from the stick. She gently placed it on the bench between them, watching pedestrians pass by. When a young couple strolled by, swinging their laughing toddler between them, Laxus finally spoke again.

"Why did you run away?"

Lucy pursed her lips, her small hands gripping to bench under her tightly. "I just met you so it's none of your business. Nosey."

"Hey, no point in getting all defensive. It's probably not that big of a deal anyway." He quipped. He was looking down on her, she just knew it. To her surprise, his voice had softened when he continued, "Every kid wants to run away at some point, but believe me, things are better when you're not alone."

Though he had no way of knowing, his words tore open the scars on her heart. Tears prickled in the corners of her eyes.

"And your family will miss you, right?" He paused, turning his head to look at her. "What about your…mom…" Laxus trailed off as he noticed the little girl quietly crying next to him. His eyes widened and he suddenly looked uncomfortable and perhaps a little panicked. "Hey, why are you crying again?!"

Lucy said nothing, simply stared back, her large doe-eyes glistening and her cheeks dampened with every tear that fell. She chewed on her trembling bottom lip to keep from breaking down into loud sobs. He must have seen how fragile she was as his hand lifted slightly, as if he wanted to comfort her but was unsure of how. After a moment, the older boy gently patted her head, though a bit awkwardly.

His hand was not as large as her father's or as soft as her mother's, but his kind gesture still eased the pain. Realizing she was leaning into his hand Lucy debated pulling away, but decided she didn't want to. He smelled nice, like strawberries with a hint of soap. There was also a smoky metallic scent that she could not identify. She sniffed, pulling away slightly to wipe a fist over her eyes, rubbing them raw until Laxus stopped her. Blinking up at him, the smaller blonde understood the silent question in his gaze. She did not have to answer, but Lucy unexpectedly felt like she wanted to.

Looking down at her lap, she pulled her legs up so she could hug her knees, carefully folding her skirts up to retain her modesty.

"My Mama died six months ago." She confessed softly.

After a moment of silence Laxus said, "I'm sorry." His tone was so gentle that Lucy couldn't help looking at him with surprise. He looked guilty. When he stroked her head again she unconsciously leaned into his touch once more. In the same sympathetic tone as before, the boy asked, "What about your dad? You still have him, right?"

"Y-Yeah…b-but he hates me…" Lucy screwed her face in an attempt to keep herself from crying again, but failed. She buried face in her hands and wept for a moment before deciding she wanted someone to hold her. She dropped her legs so her feet dangled over the side of the bench before lunging toward Laxus and wrapping her little arms around his chest. She clutched his shirt, barely reaching hallway around his torso as her sobs shook her body.

Laxus stared down at the little girl clinging to him, dumbfounded. He frowned at his current predicament; no amount of guilt over making the kid cry would make him hug her back. He'd already pushed his comfort limits when he stroked her head. He allowed her to cry for a while longer before gripping her firmly by the shoulders and prying her off.

"I don't think he hates you."

"NO! He does! He hates me! I heard some maids talking and they said that I look so much like Mama that it hurts him! Ever since she died all he's done is work! He doesn't want to talk or even look at me!"

Laxus frowned. "Maids?"

"He even forgot…" Lucy paused to sniff, "…my birthday." She whimpered and the older boy softened. "I miss Mama so much, but I just don't want to hurt Papa anymore. I don't want him to hate me anymore!" Before Laxus could stop her, she dove against him again and wailed some more. The teen glanced around them and scowled at the people who whispered and stared as they walked by. He sighed in defeat, tilting his head as he considered the little girl attached to him. Then his eyes widened in realization.

Lucy was so engrossed in sobbing against Laxus that it took her a few seconds to realize he'd begun to shake as well. She swallowed thickly and looked up at him only to gape at the sight of him chuckling.

"W-What's so funny?!" She screeched, suddenly furious and her pain momentarily forgotten.

"I'm not laughing at you." He struggled to squash his ill-timed mirth. "It's just that I understand where you're coming from probably a lot more than you think."

"Huh?" Lucy wiped her face with her sleeve.

"I don't have a mom either, though I never knew her to begin with. My dad on the other hand…well, let's just say I _really_ get where you're coming from."

Lucy's expression softened. Laxus was just like her? "Did you run away from home too?"

"No." He smirked slightly, shaking his head and Lucy watched his spiky blonde locks wave about. When his headphones began to slide from their place over his ears he pulled them down so they rested around his shoulders. "Just because I don't have much of a relationship with my parents doesn't mean I'm alone."

"Oh. Then you can't really understand. All I have is Papa." Lucy felt her stomach drop slightly and turned away from him.

"Really? Nobody else? What about friends?"

"Friends aren't the same as family."

"Why not?"

"They just aren't. Family is family."

Laxus huffed in annoyance, his head tilting in thought. Clearly he had to rethink his strategy. He hummed when he got an idea. "Heh…wait here for a sec. I'll be back." He stood up and before Lucy could snap out of her shock to plead for him to come back, he'd vanished into the crowd of people moving along the streets outside the park.

Lucy gnawed on her bottom lip, determined to not panic. He'd said he'd be back. However, despite her resolve, relief still flooded her small body when she saw him appear again a few moments later. He was leafing through what looked to be a booklet of some sort as he approached. He crouched in front of the bench she still sat upon and flipped what turned out to be a magazine over for her to see a large picture spread out over two pages. She looked at him curiously before turning her attention to studying the image before her. In large red letters _Fairy Tail: A Nursery for Young Mages?_ was written across the bottom while above it was a large group of people posing in a large room. There was a column of writing on either side of the image.

The first thing Lucy noted was that they were all smiling. Though there were a large number of kids in the picture, which was probably the reason behind the article's title, even the adults had a carefree look in their eyes. They were all so happy. Then Lucy noticed Laxus leaning on a table in the corner of the picture.

"That's you!" She gasped. Laxus gave a small smile.

"This is my guild: Fairy Tail. My Gramps is the Master. That's him there." He pointed at a tiny, grinning old man in the center of the picture. "Even if he wasn't though, Fairy Tail would still be where I belong."

"They're all your family?" Lucy was impressed.

"Sort of but not really. Gramps says that they are all his children, though I'm his only blood relative besides Dad." He looked thoughtful for a moment. "Dad's not in this picture though…neither is Gildarts." Looking at him as he talked about Fairy Tail, Lucy could tell he really loved his guild by the way his eyes lit up.

"Are you trying to say that family is not just parents and grandparents, but everyone you care about?"

Laxus snorted. "Not exactly, but close enough."

Lucy frowned and stared hard at the picture. "I see."

"Do you still say you're all alone?"

Lucy thought about everyone she knew – everyone who worked for her father. She remembered Spetto, Bero, Ribbon, and Aed. And Pete and Ben of course. She would miss them if she never saw them again and was sure they would miss her too. They'd always been so kind to her after all.

She shook her head. "No."

"You ready to go back to your Dad then?" Laxus smiled. It was different from his usual smirk; he looked friendly and suddenly very cute. Lucy blushed and lowered her head to look at him from under her lashes.

"I don't really want to yet." She whispered honestly.

"You don't remember the way to where he is staying, do you?" His typical smirk returned and Lucy flinched as she realized he was right, though it hadn't been her true reason for wanting to stay.

"No." She grumbled. With an accepting sigh, Laxus straightened. He stretched and Lucy shivered when she heard some of his joints pop.

"Come with me. I'll take you to Fairy Tail and we'll get you back where you belong." To the girl's surprise, he offered her a hand. Her blush darkened before she looked up at him and grinned. Small, dainty fingers curled into the teen's larger, rougher hand and he helped her stand. Though she was still soggy from crying and her eyes were red and swollen, Lucy hadn't felt better in months.

Laxus paused and looked down at their hands and Lucy wondered if he wanted her to let go of him now that she was on her feet. His grip on her had loosened, but she liked holding his hand. She was about to let go though when he shook his head and tightened his hold on her before leading the way.

"The guild's at the edge of town on the other side of Kardia Cathedral." He said as they threw out the popsicle sticks. He led her into the crowds and Lucy shuffled closer not wanting to be separated.

Despite still not having much of a clue to where she was going, Lucy felt secure with Laxus leading the way. He knew exactly where he was going, dodging expertly around people without much thought. Lucy had trouble not staring up at him in awe: not even her father exuded such confidence.

No matter how interesting the busy streets of Magnolia were, she could not take her eyes away from her escort for long. Whenever a passerby would accidentally bump into her, Laxus would lightly squeeze her hand and pull her ever-so-slightly closer. She gripped the magazine to her chest and glanced around herself before returning her attention back to the older boy.

He paused once to turn on his SoundPod. Lucy watched him nod his head to the music as it blared through his earphones resting around his neck. She tilted her head to hear better, but the chatter of the crowd around them distorted all but the steady beat of drums.

"What are you listening to?"

Still walking, Laxus blinked toward her. After a moment, he pulled the headphones from where they rested and plunked them on her head. Lucy frowned as she untangled them from her hair and rearranged them over her ears. Her eyes widened at the array of instruments and vocals that sounded through her skull. The only thing that came close to sounding slightly similar was the lullabies her mother sang to her when she was very young. Her father preferred classic melodies performed by large orchestras; even then she only heard music during lessons or during her parent's lavish parties. After her mother's death, the parties stopped though.

Laxus grinned at Lucy's expression of awe.

"It's called rock." Lucy nodded, her own smile sliding into place. "Just what kind of lifestyle have you been living, kid?"

She opened her mouth to either answer or ask to know more about his intriguing music when the teen's eyes lit up. He was staring at something ahead of them.

Lucy followed his line of vision and gasped at the sight that met her. The painted wood doors of the colorful warehouse sized building were left open, leaving the bustle of the guild open to the public. It was three stories tall with red tiling on the roofs of the different levels and many, many windows, all of which were also open. A symbol of a fairy with a tail decorated the arch above the door. She tried to see the top but was too short and too close to the building to make it out.

"Fairy Tail?" She asked and Laxus hummed in response. She let him take his headphones back, pausing when she heard the explosion of noise coming from inside the hall. Crashes and shouts came from within, followed by laughter and cheers. Laxus tugged her toward the door.

As they approached the racket increased in volume. Lucy slid behind Laxus; he was so tall and she so small that hiding behind him was very effective. He lifted a brow at her nervousness, but ultimately didn't mind.

After the blinding light of the sun the inside of the building was oddly dark. Lucy suddenly understood why the doors and windows were open. Though their arrival didn't halt any of the boisterous activity, it did catch the attention of a few people.

"Hey Laxus, didn't you have a job?" Called one man with a shaggy head of black hair and plenty of laugh lines on his face. He straddled a bench at one of the numerous tables within the hall, his elbow supporting him as he practically lounged over the surface.

"Finished it. Just got back this morning. Where's Gramps?"

"Probably the bar, and what do you mean you finished it? That job was…you know what, never mind." The man, obviously frustrated, ruffled his hair and winced. For some reason a dark blonde with big hair and a pipe found the exchange humorous.

"What's wrong, Macao? Can't handle a kid showing you up?" He guffawed at the first's side.

"Shut up Wakaba! Lineage considered, he's hardly an average kid…" He trailed off when he noticed Lucy, who, while, momentarily distracted by Laxus' scowl at Macao's words, failed to stay hidden. He elbowed his friend in the side and motioned toward the girl. Her eyes widened as the two adults leaned over to see her better.

"Laxus, who's the kid? A new recruit?" The man known as Wakaba asked.

"Man, this place really is turning into a nursery." Macao snickered.

"No." Laxus replied simply before leading the girl away from the bewildered duo. They weaved their way through the crowd, ignoring all teasing comments thrown their way. Lucy found it odd that the most common jest was to accuse Laxus of robbing cradles.

From the safety of Laxus' shadow, Lucy noticed that most of the commotion was caused by a couple tables in the back occupied by a group of kids, ranging from around her age to perhaps just a little younger than Laxus. One pink-haired boy seemed particularly rambunctious, practically running in circles to challenge just about everyone else in the group.

"Don't make eye-contact. The boys over there are expecially idiots." Laxus said over his shoulder. "And the girls will give you nightmares, so avoid them too." After a moment, Lucy noticed his smirk and realized he was teasing, though whether it was them or her she was not sure.

Lucy glanced toward the group once more, unable to resist after Laxus' comments. A girl with the brightest red hair and silver armor caught her attention, while another girl with white hair whom the first was aggressively arguing with wore such skimpy clothes that Lucy gasped and looked away, blushing. She wanted to ask who they all were, but she and her companion had already arrived at the bar.

Sitting cross-legged on the worn and chipped wood was the smallest old man Lucy had ever seen. He looked to be even smaller than her!

"Laxus." He greeted in a wizened tone, gravelly from long years of shouting. Or at least what Lucy assumed to be from shouting given the guild's atmosphere. She had seen the man in the article, recognized him as Laxus' grandfather, but she had not focused much on him in the picture. His silvery-grey hair stuck out of his striped cap that matched his elfish-green suit. Compared to the pristine suits and uniforms of everyone at her home, the adult before her was outlandish and shocking. When he turned his wise gaze to her, still cowering behind the teen, a toothy grin split the man's face. "Well hello there. I am Makarov, the Master of Fairy Tail. Who might you be?"

Lucy's eyes widened slightly. She could not help but give a slight smile of greeting at the sight of his goofy and friendly expression. She stepped out from behind Laxus and curtsied with all the elegance she could muster. "My name is Lucy, sir. It is a pleasure to meet you."

Master Makarov shot a curious glance at Laxus, who struggled not to openly gawk at the little girl's display of manners.

Noticing his grandfather's look, Laxus shook himself out of his surprise. "She's visiting with her father and got lost in the crowds. Can't remember where they were staying."

Lucy looked at him gratefully for not saying she had been trying to run away.

"What is your father's name and what can you remember of the area you were staying at?"

"Jude Heartfilia. And I remember a big restaurant and red carpets. And bird statues." She hadn't long enough to absorb anything else.

"I see." Leaning back slightly, the Master stroked his mustache in thought, humming as he made a decision. Seemingly from nowhere he pulled a roll of parchment and a pen out and scribbled down a quick note. "Laxus, tell Macao to go to the Nightingale Hotel and deliver this to the front desk for Jude Heartfilia."

The boy hesitated for a moment, glancing between his grandfather and the girl who clutched at his sleeve and stared at him with wide, doe eyes. "Right." He shook Lucy off, took the note, and turned away toward the way they'd come. As soon as he disappeared between the tables Master Makarov invited Lucy to sit on one of the stools. With a bit of effort she managed to wiggle up before him, her legs dangling from her perch.

"So…" The old man said glancing at the magazine still clutched in Lucy's hands. "I see you have the latest copy of _Sorcerer Weekly_. Are you a fan of Fairy Tail, or one of the other guilds?" Makarov questioned in an obvious attempt at conversation. It looked to her that he was fishing for complements.

Giggling softly, Lucy shook her head. "No, I don't know much about guilds. Laxus was just showing me his family."

A soft, gentle look glazed the old man's eyes at that. "Was he now…" He chuckled. "That's my adorable grandson for you…I guess some things never quite completely leave you…"

Lucy had trouble thinking of Laxus as 'adorable', but she understood the old man's fondness for the teen. While rough around the edges, he "had a good heart", as her mother would say.

With a long sigh, the girl looked down at the counter.

"Ah! Lucy, would you like something to drink?" Master Makarov suddenly inquired, hurriedly motioning for a man further down the bar to come closer and serve them. "On the house."

"Um, okay…Do you have…strawberry smoothies?" She asked tentatively.

Makarov smiled. "We do now." A few moments later the server slid a tall glass in front of her before shuffling off to another customer. All of her earlier crying had left her feeling like a dried-up prune, but Lucy knew better than to gulp it all down at once. She took dainty sips from her drink as the Master turned his attention to the re-approaching Laxus.

"Her dad should come for her soon." He slid onto the stool beside the girl with ease. Noticing her wince of apprehension, he patted her on the head, earning a few 'awws' from the nearest tables. He scowled at his guild-mates, scaring them back into minding their own business before turning to his grandfather. The old man grinned rather maniacally, much to Lucy's confusion, but neither of the males said a word.

Makarov had noticed the girl's less than pleased reaction to the news and wondered about it, but his grandson's even stranger show of affection perked his interest even more. Then there was the pink stain on Laxus' shirt to consider…

A loud crash followed by taunts and shrieks of anger echoed about the room, tearing the trio from their thoughts. Lucy gaped as the two girls from before grappled on top of their table before the redhead was thrown into the one next to them. The table exploded into splinters, providing cover for the girl to jump to her feet and dive onto the other one once more.

Lucy winced with each crash, shout, and boom as they proceeded to tear their corner of the hall to pieces. The pink-haired boy dashed around from getting kicked by the girls, to scuffling with a (shockingly) scantily-clad, black-haired boy that was around his age, to being nursed by a small, doll-like white haired girl. The process would then repeat once complete.

"Never mind them. The next generation always seems rowdier than the last. They are harmless though-" Master Makarov chuckled until a chunk of wood flew through the air and collided with his forehead, cutting him off. Lucy watched, almost fascinated as his brow twitched, his teeth clenched, and his little body quivered with rage.

"THAT IS ENOUGH!" He suddenly roared. Surprised and terrified, Lucy dove for Laxus. She stared wide-eyed as the man thrust his hand out toward the group. And it grew! The appendage expanded until it could reach the children's corner to hover over the group menacingly. "ERZA! MIRAJANE! WE HAVE A GUEST!" Yet it was the pink-haired boy he brought his hand down upon, destroying the floor and flattening his target with a terrifying show of magical power.

When Master Makarov lifted his hand away, the other kids eyed the twitching boy with fear and caution. They instantly slid into their seats, cupped their hands before them obediently, and fell absolutely silent, not even bothering with excuses.

From her spot huddled against Laxus' side, Lucy heard his snort of laughter loudly. He was still snickering a moment later as he pushed the girl back onto her seat. She glanced between him, the Master, and the crater. The boy's visible limbs twitched for a moment longer when he suddenly jumped to his feet with far more enthusiasm than Lucy believed he should have after being crushed the way he had been. What a resilient boy!

"What guest?!" He shouted, looking around, almost accusingly. When his expressive eyes landed on Lucy she froze at his attention. "Let me see!"

Ignoring calls of, "Don't, Natsu!" and "You idiot!", the boy dashed toward the bar eagerly, only to be struck by lightning out of nowhere. Lucy gasped and covered her mouth in both awe and concern. Fairy Tail wizards were amazing, being able to grow or use lightening as if it were nothing!

"Laxus!" Makarov scolded and Lucy realized that the teen she had spent the day with had been the one to use the lightening magic. He smirked at Lucy and his grandfather, shrugging halfheartedly. No wonder he had not been impressed by her Celestial keys! Stars took residence in her eyes as she gazed at him with new interest. The whole guild suddenly took on a new light in fact. Her fear transformed into wonder and excitement. What else could the people in Fairy Tail do? Would she be able to someday join as a Celestial wizard after training more?

"That was you? How did you do that?!" She leaned towards the older boy enthusiastically. He eyed her with amusement; he was clearly pleased by her reaction, though also slightly surprised. He ruffled her hair once more, but instead of getting annoyed, Lucy felt empowered. He was strong. All of Fairy Tail was. And they had been so kind to her, even asking if she was joining the guild.

Lucy realized that she really wanted to.

"Trade secret." At her pout Laxus quickly added, "You said you were training to be a wizard yourself, right?"

Lucy nodded her head proudly. "A Celestial wizard." Like her mother.

Laxus glanced at his grandfather, who was staring toward the front double doors with interest. He knew it was probably her father arriving to collect her. He leaned closer, observing her reddening face with curiosity, and whispered so only she could hear, "When you're older, if you're still having troubles at home, you can always run away again to Fairy Tail."

Lucy gasped and felt her blush reach her ears. "Really?!"

He nodded with a grin before turning away from her. Lucy, realizing something else had stolen his attention, turned to see what it was. Her heart sank at the sight of Pete and Ben standing beside the man known as Macao in their blue uniforms, though slightly disarrayed.

"Miss. Lucy!" They cried in unison, sprinting across the guild, tears of relief welling in the corners of their eyes. She felt guiltier than she had when she'd first left their side, yet…

"We were so worried. Everybody is! And your father is beside himself!" Yet he had not come _himself_. Pete checked her over while Ben thanked Master Makarov profusely. Lucy looked at Laxus who was leaning languidly against the bar, studying the two guards with a bored expression. Envy filled her, along with a strong yearning to be part of his family. His guild. Fairy Tail. A place anyone could call home.

"Sorry. I was…lost…" She looked down at her lap before lifting her gaze once more. "May we stay for a little while more? I-I haven't finished my smoothie." Lucy quickly said, grasping for any excuse to stay longer. "The Master was so kind to let me have it and it is so delicious…"

Pete and Ben looked startled by her plea, but melted under her wide, hopeful eyes.

Lucy knew that once she was in her father's custody (or rather his employees'), she would not be allowed out of the hotel again. Then she would be taken home to the estate and all freedom would be buried in lessons, manners, and dresses. Why was she going back again? Oh yeah, Pete and Ben, Spetto, Bero, Ribbon, and Aed. They would worry and she would miss them. Her father obviously hadn't worried about her very much since he had not come himself. She just hoped he had not been too harsh on the two she had disappeared from…

"Your father instructed we bring you straight to him once you were found, but…I guess a minute more will make little difference." Ben relented, glancing around as if waiting for the girl's father to leap out from behind the bar and fire him.

The girl held in a sigh of relief as she turned back to her smoothie. She sipped gently, though the sweet taste was lost to her. She could feel Pete and Ben looming over her nervously.

"Thank you again for finding her. I don't know what we would do if you hadn't." Pete said to Master Makarov.

"It's fine, really. It was my grandson who brought her here anyway." He motioned to Laxus who wordlessly shrugged off all attention from himself, pulling his earphones on and turning his music up. Lucy tried to catch his eye, but he did not show any indication of noticing.

Once her glass was finally empty, Lucy reluctantly set it on the bar with a heavy 'clang'. The bartender scooped it away before she could blink. Her thank you hovered in the air until the Master hopped down from his seat to stand before Pete and Ben.

"Come on, Miss. Let's get you back to your father."

Ben turned to Master Makarov and said, "Mr. Heartfilia wished to thank you for your assistance in locating his daughter and to let you know he plans pay compensation for any trouble endured on your part." He winced as if disliking the terminology her father when addressing the subject.

Makarov's eyes lit up for a moment before he shook his head in denial. "No, sorry. Please tell him Fairy Tail cannot accept payment when we have not completed a job. Young Lucy was no trouble at all. She is a sweet girl and I for one wish her the best." He shook their hands before turning to Lucy. He smiled gently and some of her fear evaporated. "Home is where those you care about most are." He said cupping her small hands between his own gnarled ones and giving them an earnest shake. "It was a pleasure to meet you Lucy." His eyes showed his honesty. She wondered if he knew what she was returning to and was trying to mentally give her strength and hope for the future. Perhaps things would be different and her father would look at her again…smile again…

"Thank you." She replied. "For everything." She and the old man looked at Laxus then, who was now nodding his head to the music. Noticing their attention, He pulled his earphones from their place once more and waited.

"Please escort our guests out, Laxus."

The teen sighed, resigned. "Fine, Gramps." He strolled off and Lucy, after a quick curtsy to the Master, hurried after him. Her guards nodded politely to the legendary wizard themselves before following.

As she left the hall seemed slightly quieter than when she'd entered. Lucy thought she could hear sighs of dismay throughout the tables, but at the same time could hardly believe it. She had only arrived a few minutes before and had yet to speak to anyone beside the Master and Laxus. But questions about the girl Laxus was chummy with was off to were indeed audible; they brightened her spirit and told her that someday she _had_ to return. Even the pink-haired boy loudly asking, "Where is the new girl going?" brought a smile to her lips.

At the double doors the group paused as Laxus stopped and moved out of the way without leaving the guild. Pete and Ben stepped into the sunlight to wait for their charge to follow.

Lucy looked up at the teen. She opened her mouth to say something, anything, when his large hand ruffled her hair affectionately. She squeaked with surprise, only to have her breathe taken away by the sight of his final grin. With that he turned on his heal and left, leaving the girl red-faced and dazed.

Lucy gaped for a moment before finally managing to re-gather her wits. "Ah! L-Laxus! I will never forget!" She called out softly, but she knew he heard when he waved over his shoulder.

Sniffling slightly, she turned from the lively atmosphere, looking up from her toes only she heard someone speak to her.

"What is that you have there?" Pete asked as he led her out of the guild.

Lucy had not realized she was still clutching the magazine Laxus had bought. She struggled not to look back at him as she answered, "The latest issue of _Sorcerer Weekly_." She ignored how Pete's brow lifted questioningly as well as how Ben shrugged to signify his lack of an answer. They did not need to know. Fairies were _supposed_ to be secretive after all, right?

After that last satisfying thought, Lucy stepped from the curb to cross to the other side of the cobble-stone street. She was almost to the other side when a sudden shriek and explosion inside the guild at their backs startled her into losing her balance. She felt her shoes catch on a lose stone in the road, sealing her fate. She felt like she was falling in slow motion watching as the ground neared. It was too late to do anything by the time she realized her head was a fraction on a second away from colliding with the raised walkway.

She blacked out upon impact and when she finally awoke her entire day had been lost to her.

* * *

><p>Lucy hummed as the taste of the strawberry popsicle flooded her senses, bringing her back to life after her long day of traveling with Natsu and Happy. With another job complete, the young woman was intent on returning home and crawling into her bed. Never before had she been so glad her landlady was kind enough to save her apartment for the seven years she was away. Though her relationship had been anything but great with her father, Lucy was also thankful for him for paying her rent. He'd come through in the end, leaving her wishing they had been allowed more time for a second chance.<p>

She stared at the dripping treat on a stick for a moment before leaning to continue savoring it when, turning the corner leading toward her apartment she collided with something. It was big and hard. Looking up Lucy discovered that she had in fact walked into the wall that was Laxus Dreyar.

He had his gaggle of groupies hot on his heels, eager to comment on the two's collision and even more eager to blame it solely on her. Tuning the three out, she stepped away from Laxus and opened her mouth to apologize when he growled out, "Watch it," before stepping around her. A part of her was still rather nervous around him despite his help on Tenrou Island as well as at the Tournament, so instead of feeling annoyed by his words, she was relieved.

That was until she noticed her popsicle in a gooey mess on the cobblestone street.

"My popsicle…" she sighed in dismay.

Out of nowhere the strongest sense of déjà vu enveloped her though she could not put her finger on the reason behind it. She heard Laxus' steps falter and glanced back at him. He had the strangest expression on his face, as if he was trying his hardest to remember something important.

"Where did you get your first issue of Sorcerer Weekly from?" Laxus suddenly asked sounding suspicious.

"W-what?!"

"Don't question Lax…" Freed began to lecture the small blonde despite his own curiosity about the question when the lightening dragon slayer silenced him with a look. "…us…"

Still unsure and very confused, Lucy managed to bite out, "When I was ten." From the look on the man's face she could tell he wanted more details on the matter. "I was visiting Magnolia with my father on business. I don't remember buying it because on my way back to the hotel we were staying at I fell and hit my head pretty hard." As odd of a story as it was, Laxus wanting to know was even stranger. Yet…when she thought about it Lucy realized it was not that simple. It was that specific magazine that had first introduced her to Fairy Tail. After hearing about guilds from her mother before she'd died, the lonely child was drawn to the idea of a bunch of people bonded by camaraderie and magic. She had closely followed the guild ever since, having monthly issues of Sorcerer Weekly sent to her father's mansion. That first issue though was still in her room somewhere as a special symbol of what Lucy always wanted most: family.

Glancing at Laxus and expecting him to look bored by her explanation and leave, she was taken completely by surprise to see a gentle smile. She had never seen him make such an expression before in her entire life…she hadn't even been aware he was capable of looking so innocently pleased.

"Well what do you know…" He said softly. "That _is_ interesting." Four sets of confused eyes stared at the man who simply shook his head in reply. He dug a coin out of a pocket somewhere under his coat and flicked it to her in a smooth motion, causing the girl to dive for it. "For your trouble." He said eyeing Lucy's bare popsicle stick, still clenched in her fist. He grinned, once more stealing her breath away.

She openly gawked as he turned away, chuckling to himself. The Thunder God Tribe followed, asking if everything was alright and what "all that" had been about. They received no answer.

Lucy felt a small blush coat her cheeks as Laxus' chuckles changed to uproarious laughter. She was not sure what had just happened, but knew things were suddenly different between the two of them.


End file.
